COMMEMORATING THE LANCASTER
“THE LANCASTER HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF BRITAIN’S WAR, SURVIVAL AND THE COURAGE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BOMBER COMMAND”
The Avro Lancaster was one of the most famous aircraft of WWII. A heavy bomber with a crew of seven, the Lancaster was capable of carrying 33,000 lbs (15,000 kilograms) of explosives. A mainstay of RAF Bomber Command, it was the most successful bomber of the conflict. Sir Arthur Harris, commander-in-chief of Bomber Command, referred to the Lancaster as his “shining sword” and also the “greatest single factor in winning the war”. Nevertheless, this accolade came at a heavy price.
Of the 7,377 Lancasters that were built, more than half were lost to enemy or training accidents. More tragically, of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed, 8,400 were wounded and 10,000 became prisoners of war in raids over Europe. These horrendous figures were also marred by criticisms, both then and now, of the mass bombing strategy that Bomber Command committed against Nazi Germany to destroy its fighting capability.
Nevertheless, the endurance and heroism of the men and women of Bomber Command is the subject of John Nichol’s new book Lancaster: The Forging Of A Very British Legend. The Sunday Times bestselling author of Spitfire, Nichol is not just an writer but also an RAF veteran who served for 15 years. While on active duty as a navigator during the Gulf War in 1991, his Tornado bomber was shot down during a mission over Iraq. Along with the Tornado’s pilot, John Peters, Nichol was captured and tortured as a prisoner of war. During his captivity, he was paraded on television by his Iraqi captors, which drew worldwide condemnation and became one of the enduring images of the conflict.
Following Peters’ and his release at
